Democrat Dan Schwartz will challenge U.S. Rep. Andy Harris for Maryland’s 1st Congressional District seat in November after winning his party’s nomination.
The Associated Press on Friday called the Democratic primary for Schwartz, who held a double-digit lead over second-place finisher Randi White.
“The stage is now set for our showdown with Rep. Andy Harris,” Schwartz said in an Instagram video Friday.
He thanked his opponents, saying all entered the race “to bring real representation to the people of the 1st Congressional District.”
The former consumer-rights advocate will take on Maryland’s only GOP representative in Congress, who is also the chair of the House Freedom Caucus.
The 1st District includes all of the Eastern Shore, Cecil and Harford counties, and a portion of Baltimore County. The solid Republican district is on national Democrats’ radar as the party wrestles for control of the U.S. House and party leaders in Annapolis weigh redrawing the state’s congressional map.
Schwartz, a former senior director with the Conference of State Bank Supervisors, had a significant fundraising advantage over White and the rest of the field, campaign finance records show.
The prolific social media campaigner ran on the issues facing residents of Maryland’s Eastern Shore and blasted the Trump-aligned Harris’ record and lack of in-person town hall meetings.
Schwartz also earned endorsements from top Maryland Democrats, such as Gov. Wes Moore, Sen. Chris Van Hollen, Reps. Jamie Raskin and Sarah Elfreth, and House of Delegates Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk.
Harris has handily held his seat for much of his 16 years in office. In recent years, however, he has become a target for Democrats. He defeated Heather Mizeur in 2022 with 54% of the vote.
Harris beat challenger Chris Bruneau in Tuesday’s Republican primary, according to the AP.
Banner reporter Emily Opilo contributed to this story.
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